Bipartisanship

Question 1

Other Constitutional Requirements

Answer 1

Other constitutional requirements such as the need for supermajorities to pass amendments or overturn a presidential veto also requires a compromise between different parties. It is very rare for one group or idea to have such a large majority.

Question 2

Is Bipartisanship Effective? Yes

Answer 2

There are many historical examples of bipartisanship. In the 1960s, the two parties worked together under President Lyndon B Johnson, who was a Democrat, and in the 1980s, under President Ronald Reagan, who was a Republican. There was little bipartisanship under Obama, but in 2010 ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ was repealed by a bill that was sponsored by a group of Republicans and Democrats, and supported by a group of Republicans who voted with the Democrats.

Question 3

Is Bipartisanship Effective? No

Answer 3

When there is divided government (different parties controlling the House of Representatives, Senate and Presidency) the need for bipartisanship has caused many problems. As political parties have become more polarised in recent years it has become more difficult to reach compromise agreements meaning much less legislation is passed and occasionally the government has had to temporarily shut down. This ‘political evil’ was feared by John Adams, one of the Founding Fathers.